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Rocky Mountain High: A Tale of Boom and Bust in the New Wild West
The best-selling author of The Long Haul returns with the story of ditching his truck to seek his fortune…in hemp.
After decades as a long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy left the road and settled in Boulder County, Colorado. Before long he noticed that many of his neighbors were captivated by the prospect of vast riches in “the Hemp Space.” When hemp was legalized, after eighty years in federal exile, Colorado became the center of a hemp growing and processing boom. Figuring he’d harvest some of that easy money, Murphy bought a thirty-six-acre farm. What could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything…
Rocky Mountain High is the comic chronicle of a wild year as Murphy follows his Great American Dream, gradually losing his shirt but not his spirit. Pivoting away from growing hemp himself, he decides to make himself a middleman. He builds drying sheds the size of football fields. He battles with freezing temperatures and even colder bankers. And he assembles an eclectic crew of workers, including the wry and vastly talented Manuel, the business savvy Pierce, and a scruffy army of “trimmigrants”—specialized farm laborers who roam the country pursuing (or not) their own American Dreams. Pretty soon, Murphy is pitting his dwindling cash against the mercurial buyers who inhabit the Wild West of the hemp market.
Told with Murphy’s trademark wit, keen eye for character, and sharp insights into the hardscrabble society around him, Rocky Mountain High is an inside look at the alluring world of the hemp boom and a masterful tale of one entrepreneur’s misadventures.
After decades as a long-haul trucker, Finn Murphy left the road and settled in Boulder County, Colorado. Before long he noticed that many of his neighbors were captivated by the prospect of vast riches in “the Hemp Space.” When hemp was legalized, after eighty years in federal exile, Colorado became the center of a hemp growing and processing boom. Figuring he’d harvest some of that easy money, Murphy bought a thirty-six-acre farm. What could go wrong? Well, pretty much everything…
Rocky Mountain High is the comic chronicle of a wild year as Murphy follows his Great American Dream, gradually losing his shirt but not his spirit. Pivoting away from growing hemp himself, he decides to make himself a middleman. He builds drying sheds the size of football fields. He battles with freezing temperatures and even colder bankers. And he assembles an eclectic crew of workers, including the wry and vastly talented Manuel, the business savvy Pierce, and a scruffy army of “trimmigrants”—specialized farm laborers who roam the country pursuing (or not) their own American Dreams. Pretty soon, Murphy is pitting his dwindling cash against the mercurial buyers who inhabit the Wild West of the hemp market.
Told with Murphy’s trademark wit, keen eye for character, and sharp insights into the hardscrabble society around him, Rocky Mountain High is an inside look at the alluring world of the hemp boom and a masterful tale of one entrepreneur’s misadventures.
240 pages, Hardcover
Published June 13, 2023
53 people are currently reading
5515 people want to read
About the author
Finn Murphy
2 books97 followersFinn Murphy is the author of Rocky Mountain High and The Long Haul, a national bestseller about his many years as a long-haul trucker. He grew up in Connecticut and now lives in Colorado.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
June 19, 2023
While deeply informative (too informative?) and somewhat funny at points, I couldn’t get over the narrator’s arrogance/privilege/ego.
December 8, 2022
I LOVED Finn Murphy's last book, The Long Haul so, I was eager to pick this up and read it. Rocky Mountain High is the perfect book for everyone living in a state that has legalized. We all know someone who works in the industry and we've all heard the stories. It's got the perfect blend of master story-telling with some very funny moments (I laughed out LOUD at one point).
July 19, 2023
Another Tattered Cover purchase that I read while visiting Colorado! I was highly entertained and informed by this fast-paced and funny account of the author’s attempt at entering the Hemp Space when hemp was newly legalized in the state. I guess when you have almost unlimited funds, a story like this can be an interesting experience rather than a life-destroying calamity?
May 12, 2024
This book really did have highs and lows.
July 19, 2023
From LitHub's list of best new nonfiction books for the Summer of 2023:
"Finn Murphy’s new memoir of shifting careers from trucker to hemp farmer . . . You may know Murphy from his first book, "The Long Haul", a very personal (and funny) driver’s side account of his three decades crisscrossing America in an 18-wheeler. Rocky Mountain High is something like a sequel, and tells the story of Murphy’s decision to settle in Colorado to try his hand at hemp farming, a career move that doesn’t exactly pan out as he’d hoped. With customary wit and candor, and a keen eye for characters (who go beyond plot-moving cut-outs), Murphy offers a charming portrait of the modern day hemp farming hustle. We need more first-hand accounts like this, of what it means to make a living in 21st-century America."
Good book, by a first-rate writer. Quite a story of jumping into a boom, and the subsequent bust. 3.5 stars, recommended reading.
I liked "The Long Haul" much more, and that's still the place to start with Murphy, I think.
Here's my review of that book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
"Finn Murphy’s new memoir of shifting careers from trucker to hemp farmer . . . You may know Murphy from his first book, "The Long Haul", a very personal (and funny) driver’s side account of his three decades crisscrossing America in an 18-wheeler. Rocky Mountain High is something like a sequel, and tells the story of Murphy’s decision to settle in Colorado to try his hand at hemp farming, a career move that doesn’t exactly pan out as he’d hoped. With customary wit and candor, and a keen eye for characters (who go beyond plot-moving cut-outs), Murphy offers a charming portrait of the modern day hemp farming hustle. We need more first-hand accounts like this, of what it means to make a living in 21st-century America."
Good book, by a first-rate writer. Quite a story of jumping into a boom, and the subsequent bust. 3.5 stars, recommended reading.
I liked "The Long Haul" much more, and that's still the place to start with Murphy, I think.
Here's my review of that book: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
August 26, 2023
This was a VERY interesting book! Partly because I know nothing about the topic, and partly because it all takes place SO close to where I live. I also really enjoyed the history of the Front Range - some of which I knew, but some that was new to me. 4.5 stars.
June 23, 2023
A very surprising book! I've learnt A LOT about hemp, its farming, cbd, etc while reading Rocky Mountain High. Some parts were really funny but most of the book was a bit dry, full of facts (interesting facts) but maybe a bit too close to a lecture to keep myself attentive all along.
The one thing that annoyed me was Finn Murphy's personality. He describes himself as an "opinionated know-it-all" and says he works with many millennials who keep telling him "ok boomer" and although I'm Gen X and therefore not young myself, I must admit I totally can see where those people are coming from. Murphy REALLY sounds like a know-it-all boomer through most of the book. I still had the impression he was a good guy but did I roll my eyes at times.
Still, a book that stood out and that I'm happy to have read.
The one thing that annoyed me was Finn Murphy's personality. He describes himself as an "opinionated know-it-all" and says he works with many millennials who keep telling him "ok boomer" and although I'm Gen X and therefore not young myself, I must admit I totally can see where those people are coming from. Murphy REALLY sounds like a know-it-all boomer through most of the book. I still had the impression he was a good guy but did I roll my eyes at times.
Still, a book that stood out and that I'm happy to have read.
June 30, 2023
Finn Murphy details his experience trying to profit from the newly legalized hemp industry in Colorado. He is an experienced business owner but, like many of the individuals who moved to Colorado to profit in hemp (and others in marijuana), he had no experience in this unique business. He quickly learned about the many challenges, from finding a bank willing to work in the industry, to being labelled a drug dealer when he was strictly working with hemp. He told his tale with wit, humility, and wisdom. This was an enjoyable book.
June 21, 2024
I enjoyed the logistics and nitty gritty of the hemp farm industry.
I did not like the author’s tone & ego. As a native Coloradan, this guy ruffled my feathers. Direct quote from the book just giving a taste of the entitlement, “I never tire of listening to the life stories of people inhabiting the bottom of the American dream”.
I did not like the author’s tone & ego. As a native Coloradan, this guy ruffled my feathers. Direct quote from the book just giving a taste of the entitlement, “I never tire of listening to the life stories of people inhabiting the bottom of the American dream”.
July 13, 2023
Finn Murphy is a successful - albeit a little unconventional - entrepreneur. When hemp (not the smokable kind) becomes legal in Colorado, he buys a farm and tries his hand and joining the hemp movement.
Most of this book takes place in my hometown of Boulder, CO so I liked it for that reason. I also appreciated learning how difficult it was to invest in a new field and was poorly understood and walks the line of legality between state and federal law. Not outstanding, but interesting.
Most of this book takes place in my hometown of Boulder, CO so I liked it for that reason. I also appreciated learning how difficult it was to invest in a new field and was poorly understood and walks the line of legality between state and federal law. Not outstanding, but interesting.
August 6, 2023
I give it 3.5 stars.
It's an interesting story that I almost didn't start reading because the writer is pretentious and arrogant. He simmers down a bit, but the beginning is very much "I'm a successful East Coast business man who moved to the unsophisticated west."
He also spouts lots of research but never provides any references or biography.
It's an interesting story that I almost didn't start reading because the writer is pretentious and arrogant. He simmers down a bit, but the beginning is very much "I'm a successful East Coast business man who moved to the unsophisticated west."
He also spouts lots of research but never provides any references or biography.
October 20, 2023
While visiting Boulder, I came across this signed copy in a local bookstore. Always trying to learn and come away with something special from new areas traveled, I thought this book written by a local author would be a perfect idea. It’s so outside the realm of what I normally read and i so enjoyed it! I learned so much. He is a wonderfully entertaining author sprinkling in much history and knowledge, along with his own personal thoughts on everything from the real drug war to unfair Colorado water rights to business learnings. What a great book. This may be one of the very very rare instances that I actually reread the story again. It’s heartbreaking to watch all of these new hemp farmers hemmorage their saved money for the hopeful American dream in the hemp world. It was quite a chance they took and I found myself rooting for them throughout the whole book!
July 18, 2023
...and that's because you don't understand non-dualism, if you did, you'd be as messed up as I am.
I feel like a blind man trying to find his dog on the infield at the derby.
I feel like a blind man trying to find his dog on the infield at the derby.
October 30, 2023
Interesting topic, but this guy sucks.
Read if you want to hear him tell you no fewer than 15 times that he became a millionaire by threatening his employees with deportation.
Read if you want to hear him tell you no fewer than 15 times that he became a millionaire by threatening his employees with deportation.
October 6, 2023
Was enjoying the book. Thinking, look at this guy. Figuring stuff out, moving fast, getting shit done, providing a service. Then I realized at Chapter 7:
-- He's a massive tax cheat.
-- He knowingly and willingly violates labor laws because he knows his employees can't go to the government.
-- He purposely is violating any number of local ordinances: Illegal camping, litter, illegal liquor sales
And for what? It's pretty clear he's already rich. He doesn't believe in the product he's providing (he's not a snake oil salesman, but he's a snakeoil supplier). Jollies? Just a few more dollars? And then he writes a book describing all the laws he broke.
I'm realizing he's just another rich asshole. Flaunting all the rules and exploiting people along the way, all in an effort to a be a little richer.
I'm going to keep reading for two reason. One, it's pretty interesting story. Two, the author is kind of insightful. He has surprised me with some of the things he's said. I'm wondering if he'll turn any of that insight to himself in the end.
---------------------------
After telling us what an ethical guy he is (anyone that has to tell you that, you can be sure they're not) -- we have the chapter on trying to get a bank account for the business. He details how he is "not candid" (some might call it lying) when telling the bank what his business is. When the bank eventually finds out and cancels his account, he's mad that the bank was "not candid" with him about cancelling it.
Author is a smart guy. Surely he realizes the hypocrisy of that chapter? I'm almost thinking this is on purpose.
---------------------------
Big chapter on how bankruptcy is unethical and he's never, ever done it over his dozens of businesses. Next chapter is how the farmers owe him money and may leave him hanging by declaring bankruptcy. Nakedly self-serving horseshit.
(And, he did this huge expensive job for the farmers, never discussed costs with them along the way, and then in the end presents them with a astronomical bill. Farmers don't want to pay it. No shit. You didn't see that coming genius businessman? And then pages and pages of how ethical, courteous and honest he is while these no good farmers are trying to take advantage of poor, honest businessman him.)
---------------------------
In the end, no insight on himself. Good insights on others and interesting tale though.
-- He's a massive tax cheat.
-- He knowingly and willingly violates labor laws because he knows his employees can't go to the government.
-- He purposely is violating any number of local ordinances: Illegal camping, litter, illegal liquor sales
And for what? It's pretty clear he's already rich. He doesn't believe in the product he's providing (he's not a snake oil salesman, but he's a snakeoil supplier). Jollies? Just a few more dollars? And then he writes a book describing all the laws he broke.
I'm realizing he's just another rich asshole. Flaunting all the rules and exploiting people along the way, all in an effort to a be a little richer.
I'm going to keep reading for two reason. One, it's pretty interesting story. Two, the author is kind of insightful. He has surprised me with some of the things he's said. I'm wondering if he'll turn any of that insight to himself in the end.
---------------------------
After telling us what an ethical guy he is (anyone that has to tell you that, you can be sure they're not) -- we have the chapter on trying to get a bank account for the business. He details how he is "not candid" (some might call it lying) when telling the bank what his business is. When the bank eventually finds out and cancels his account, he's mad that the bank was "not candid" with him about cancelling it.
Author is a smart guy. Surely he realizes the hypocrisy of that chapter? I'm almost thinking this is on purpose.
---------------------------
Big chapter on how bankruptcy is unethical and he's never, ever done it over his dozens of businesses. Next chapter is how the farmers owe him money and may leave him hanging by declaring bankruptcy. Nakedly self-serving horseshit.
(And, he did this huge expensive job for the farmers, never discussed costs with them along the way, and then in the end presents them with a astronomical bill. Farmers don't want to pay it. No shit. You didn't see that coming genius businessman? And then pages and pages of how ethical, courteous and honest he is while these no good farmers are trying to take advantage of poor, honest businessman him.)
---------------------------
In the end, no insight on himself. Good insights on others and interesting tale though.
August 4, 2023
So far, I've learned more about the technical aspects of hemp farming than I ever wanted to know, and a lot less about the human stories that made THE LONG HAUL a favorite of mine. I'm 1/3 through the book, and it may end up abandoned...I'll skim to see if the class Murphy wit, humor and keen observation about life's absurdities is given more play. Update: Just couldn't continue--the history of Colorado's geography did me in. ("Will it be on the test?") Moving on.
February 29, 2024
Right off the bat I'll tell you that, at 200 pages, I found this to be a quick and highly engaging read. There is no fluff or padding in this story, and that reflects the author’s personality as well as his approach to the “Hemp Space” business that he started during the Colorado hemp boom years of 2018-2019.
On the other hand, I have a different take on this book than most reviewers. I consider it a book about business and in that regard, I rank it up at the top of my list for must-reads for entrepreneurs, alongside two of my favorites; Honest Business (Michael Phillips and Salli Rasberry) and Growing a Business (Paul Hawken). The common theme of all three books is that they were written by people who not only started businesses from the ground up, they engaged in face-to-face interactions with every individual involved in their business, whether it was an undocumented day laborer, law enforcer, bookkeeper, customer, government bureaucrat, or honey-wagon driver. Even when delegation of duties to other people became necessary, they never allowed themselves to get isolated from the lowest tier workers by layers of “businesstocracy.” (I think I just invented a new term!)
One startling observation that can be made about these three books is that although they were written in different eras, there is almost no mention of the internet. Honest Business (1981) and Growing a Business (1987) were pre-internet, pre-cell phones while Rocky Mountain High (2023) was written in an era where internet and cell phones were ubiquitous. That a modern business book can be written with little reference to the internet is witness to the fact that basic economics and business principles have nothing to do with technology and everything to do with how humans interact.
The other commonality is how each writer reveals how fertile, thriving business environments rely heavily on the basic honesty, trust, and persistence of each individual as well as a judicious business legal structure with firm yet properly constrained regulation. In short, they rely as much on cash-and-a-hand-shake as they do OSHA safety regulations. Both, in proper measure, create a very fertile business environment where negotiations can happen very quickly but within the constraints of oversight that protects individuals from being bulldozed by the soulless aspects of capitalism.
Okay, “business” business aside, Murphy is also a darn good yarn teller with good strong opinions and lessons expressed in a light-hearted, self-deprecating, and perhaps ever-so-slightly narcissistic tone (at times ;). His language is lean, concise, and sophisticated without being condescending (see “narcissistic”) though some may find him so. I think that those who object to his strong opinions may not have spent a lot of time mingling with tradespeople and so lack that perspective. I have spent a lot of time working with, among, and as a trades-person and find his observations spot-on and delightful.
Beyond business, yarn-telling, and opinion, Murphy’s insider view of the guts of the Hemp Space boom of the 20-teens is a worthwhile read for everyone as it is a case study of entrepreneurism in 21st century United States. I might even recommend it as required reading for business majors ;^)
4.6/5 stars for being extremely well written.
On the other hand, I have a different take on this book than most reviewers. I consider it a book about business and in that regard, I rank it up at the top of my list for must-reads for entrepreneurs, alongside two of my favorites; Honest Business (Michael Phillips and Salli Rasberry) and Growing a Business (Paul Hawken). The common theme of all three books is that they were written by people who not only started businesses from the ground up, they engaged in face-to-face interactions with every individual involved in their business, whether it was an undocumented day laborer, law enforcer, bookkeeper, customer, government bureaucrat, or honey-wagon driver. Even when delegation of duties to other people became necessary, they never allowed themselves to get isolated from the lowest tier workers by layers of “businesstocracy.” (I think I just invented a new term!)
One startling observation that can be made about these three books is that although they were written in different eras, there is almost no mention of the internet. Honest Business (1981) and Growing a Business (1987) were pre-internet, pre-cell phones while Rocky Mountain High (2023) was written in an era where internet and cell phones were ubiquitous. That a modern business book can be written with little reference to the internet is witness to the fact that basic economics and business principles have nothing to do with technology and everything to do with how humans interact.
The other commonality is how each writer reveals how fertile, thriving business environments rely heavily on the basic honesty, trust, and persistence of each individual as well as a judicious business legal structure with firm yet properly constrained regulation. In short, they rely as much on cash-and-a-hand-shake as they do OSHA safety regulations. Both, in proper measure, create a very fertile business environment where negotiations can happen very quickly but within the constraints of oversight that protects individuals from being bulldozed by the soulless aspects of capitalism.
Okay, “business” business aside, Murphy is also a darn good yarn teller with good strong opinions and lessons expressed in a light-hearted, self-deprecating, and perhaps ever-so-slightly narcissistic tone (at times ;). His language is lean, concise, and sophisticated without being condescending (see “narcissistic”) though some may find him so. I think that those who object to his strong opinions may not have spent a lot of time mingling with tradespeople and so lack that perspective. I have spent a lot of time working with, among, and as a trades-person and find his observations spot-on and delightful.
Beyond business, yarn-telling, and opinion, Murphy’s insider view of the guts of the Hemp Space boom of the 20-teens is a worthwhile read for everyone as it is a case study of entrepreneurism in 21st century United States. I might even recommend it as required reading for business majors ;^)
4.6/5 stars for being extremely well written.
January 9, 2024
I picked this up under false pretenses -- but glad I did! Years ago I read a book about long-haul trucking that I really liked, and mixed that up with Finn's previous book on the same topic (which I haven't read). So I grabbed this because I had the wrong author in mind... Fortunately, this guy is a very engaging storyteller, and I often enjoy books that tell me the ins and outs of how a particular industry works, so I was immediately sucked into his tale of moving near to Boulder, Colorado to be a part of the booming hemp economy.
I knew nothing about hemp (or its cannabis cousin) or farming either, so came to this material fresh. Fortunately, the author did as well, and so the reader is walked through the basic agronomy and science around the hemp industry. But the book is really fascinating as a business case study. Finn came to Colorado to make money, and make it legally, and the book showcases lots of lessons around entrepreneurship, people management, and operations. It really functions as a long-form business case study of the kind used in b-school. There's a lot of really interesting stuff about the inability of hemp producers and processors to be able to get bank accounts, loans, etc. not to mention any kind of commodity pricing or centralized marketplace. (I should note that it was surprising that for all his experience in startup businesses and hard-learned lessons, one of the core storylines revolves around his lack of a formal contract with some critical partners in his hempterprise.)
A big asterisk to this is that Finn's authorial voice is quite hearty and strong, and potentially off-putting or overbearing. He's both arrogant and self-deprecating, he calls himself a know-it-all, and there's a lot of sarcasm and editorializing along the way, as opposed to straight reportage. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but just be forewarned. And if you're triggered by a wealthy middle-aged white guy writing a book about trying to make money, well... avoid. I was able to set that aside and follow along for a very interesting ride and have recommended this to a lot of people.
I knew nothing about hemp (or its cannabis cousin) or farming either, so came to this material fresh. Fortunately, the author did as well, and so the reader is walked through the basic agronomy and science around the hemp industry. But the book is really fascinating as a business case study. Finn came to Colorado to make money, and make it legally, and the book showcases lots of lessons around entrepreneurship, people management, and operations. It really functions as a long-form business case study of the kind used in b-school. There's a lot of really interesting stuff about the inability of hemp producers and processors to be able to get bank accounts, loans, etc. not to mention any kind of commodity pricing or centralized marketplace. (I should note that it was surprising that for all his experience in startup businesses and hard-learned lessons, one of the core storylines revolves around his lack of a formal contract with some critical partners in his hempterprise.)
A big asterisk to this is that Finn's authorial voice is quite hearty and strong, and potentially off-putting or overbearing. He's both arrogant and self-deprecating, he calls himself a know-it-all, and there's a lot of sarcasm and editorializing along the way, as opposed to straight reportage. There's nothing necessarily wrong with that, but just be forewarned. And if you're triggered by a wealthy middle-aged white guy writing a book about trying to make money, well... avoid. I was able to set that aside and follow along for a very interesting ride and have recommended this to a lot of people.
July 22, 2023
#3.6 stars but I'm not inclined to round up. I find Finn fascinating, very funny, self deprecating humor is abundant and he is adventurous. This is the book I wanted to read but all copies were out at my library so I took out Long Haul Trucker and it was excellent. However, as much as I wanted to like this book (and I did!) there was just way too much technical information on hemp farming, cannabis, business plans, sales strategies and it was more like a how to or how not to do hemp business which has since crashed.
As much as Finn is an iconoclast and cultural rebel which I appreciate he was still up to his hips trying to monetize hemp farming every which way he could to get in on the ground swell hippies turning greedy in their later middle years. It was a generally a pleasant read by a likable writer, skilled with language. It would have been nice to get a glimpse of his personal life though outside of his love for some farm animals. Did he have a partner? Married? In touch with his parents? How does he earn a living now and what's on the horizon?
I'd read his next book because it is fun to learn of his adventures. Wish more people were like him but 3.6 stars it remains.
As much as Finn is an iconoclast and cultural rebel which I appreciate he was still up to his hips trying to monetize hemp farming every which way he could to get in on the ground swell hippies turning greedy in their later middle years. It was a generally a pleasant read by a likable writer, skilled with language. It would have been nice to get a glimpse of his personal life though outside of his love for some farm animals. Did he have a partner? Married? In touch with his parents? How does he earn a living now and what's on the horizon?
I'd read his next book because it is fun to learn of his adventures. Wish more people were like him but 3.6 stars it remains.
July 9, 2023
When I learned that Finn Murphy was writing his second book, I eagerly looked forward to reading it. The Long Haul was such a great read; and I hoped Rocky Mountain High would be, too. It did not disappoint! My husband and I have both read it; and liked it very much. Mr. Murphy tells with brutal truth and piercing honesty how his travails and troubles with the hemp business affected him and his hemp-growing neighbors. Everything is laid out bare, told with humor and insight, down to the last detail. We know first-hand of the frustrations of the people who grew small crops. Mr. Murphy's past work experiences helped him to use his exceptional observational skills in handling his employees, giving credit where credit was due, and valuing people for their merits, in spite of their own, sometimes compromised, backgrounds or place in life. His high level language use was a delight for us readers to experience. Rocky Mountain High is the perfect depiction of Murphy's law. We hope that the success of this book will help Mr. Murphy recoup some of his hemp business losses.
June 8, 2024
So, it helps that I moved to Colorado 2 years ago and started reading this in the town of Niwot which he explores a little bit in the book. That charmed the socks right off of me. That said:
This book is a quadruple exploration of: what happens in farming and business when you legalize something awkwardly (a boom!), Colorado's boom and bust, industrial farming, and the strangeness of start ups. These four things intersect with amusing elegance in Finn's mini-memoir of his experience attempting to cash in on Colorado's hemp boom. Told with heart, ruefulness, and the clear voice of hindsight, this book is enjoyable, honest, and just the right length for its topic.
If you have someone who enjoys books on history, business, or self-help, this might be their equivalent of a light-hearted beach read. Easy to pick up and start, and easy to pick back up a day or two after you put it down.
This book is a quadruple exploration of: what happens in farming and business when you legalize something awkwardly (a boom!), Colorado's boom and bust, industrial farming, and the strangeness of start ups. These four things intersect with amusing elegance in Finn's mini-memoir of his experience attempting to cash in on Colorado's hemp boom. Told with heart, ruefulness, and the clear voice of hindsight, this book is enjoyable, honest, and just the right length for its topic.
If you have someone who enjoys books on history, business, or self-help, this might be their equivalent of a light-hearted beach read. Easy to pick up and start, and easy to pick back up a day or two after you put it down.
June 20, 2023
As someone with family in Colorado, I was beyond excited about this subject matter when it got the green light. But what really did legalization mean? Not much as known at first and the fact that it was centered in one state out of 50 was confusing enough.
To people like Mr. Murphy it was a new chance to make a living, a profit, all off of a little plant. Seems simple enough.
We may not have pioneers in the crossing the country type we think of but there are still plenty of pioneers, inventors, gutsy people who will try anything new in hopes to be the next big thing. In Rocky Mountain High we learn that nothing is free and if it's new and exciting to you??? Thousands of others will feel the same. and not everyone is a winner.
Told with wit, optimism, and sarcasm, this book is fantastic for all MaryJane fans AND for anyone hoping to make a quick buck in new--and legal--business.
To people like Mr. Murphy it was a new chance to make a living, a profit, all off of a little plant. Seems simple enough.
We may not have pioneers in the crossing the country type we think of but there are still plenty of pioneers, inventors, gutsy people who will try anything new in hopes to be the next big thing. In Rocky Mountain High we learn that nothing is free and if it's new and exciting to you??? Thousands of others will feel the same. and not everyone is a winner.
Told with wit, optimism, and sarcasm, this book is fantastic for all MaryJane fans AND for anyone hoping to make a quick buck in new--and legal--business.
February 26, 2024
Entertaining account of Finn Murphy's attempt to make a bundle riding the Colorado hemp boom. (This hemp is the kind used to make CBD oil and similar products, which is tightly controlled to prevent the THC content from reaching the levels at which it will produce a high.) It turns out that he knows little about the processes of growing and then processing the hemp into marketable form, an ignorance that is shared by nearly all the other growers in the state, and which apparently extends into the Colorado state department of agriculture, who are hyping the crop like mad. Murphy loses his shirt in the couple of years he's in the field, and is brutally honest about what he and so many others got wrong.
October 8, 2024
This was such a disappointing book. When I first saw the cover art while walking through a bookstore, I was struck by how beautiful it was. It looked like a drawing of the Flatirons in Boulder. After reading the title and opening it up, I saw that this book does take place in my old stomping grounds. Needless to say, I was excited to dive into this one. Unfortunately, the book fell flat from the jump. I just could not stand the author. His voice was too obnoxious for me. He came across as someone who thought they were smarter, funnier, and more interesting than they really are. Worst of all, the story itself was just boring. I really wanted to like this one but it was not for me. Big props to whoever did the cover art though!
February 10, 2025
This might not belong on my humor shelf, but there is a general light hearted tone, sometimes quite funny, of the early chapters, as the author was beginning an enterprise in the newly legal hemp growing efforts in Colorado.
But careful attention to the subtitle would tell a reader that things did not work out well. primarily because the entire venture was so new, and so many important things were not considered in advance. Nevertheless, I respected the author for his honesty, and shared his frustration as he coped with one unexpected problem after another.
He also has some intriguing insight into the issues of homelessness, poor job training and skills, and the consequences of many of the unsolved problems in the US economy in particular and society in general.
But careful attention to the subtitle would tell a reader that things did not work out well. primarily because the entire venture was so new, and so many important things were not considered in advance. Nevertheless, I respected the author for his honesty, and shared his frustration as he coped with one unexpected problem after another.
He also has some intriguing insight into the issues of homelessness, poor job training and skills, and the consequences of many of the unsolved problems in the US economy in particular and society in general.
July 18, 2023
I started off this book after adding it to my list because it popped up on my goodreads account. I knew nothing of the author and had no idea it was a true story.
That being said, I generally enjoyed the book and learned some new things about the Hemp Industry. I also learned I never want to be an entrepreneur. The book got off to a VERY slow start, and it was challenging for the first 1/3 before the pace picked up. There was some humor and the dialogue was great (especially when listening). I read it at 1.15x pace to help the book "move along".
Overall, interesting read, just not my usual cup of tea.
That being said, I generally enjoyed the book and learned some new things about the Hemp Industry. I also learned I never want to be an entrepreneur. The book got off to a VERY slow start, and it was challenging for the first 1/3 before the pace picked up. There was some humor and the dialogue was great (especially when listening). I read it at 1.15x pace to help the book "move along".
Overall, interesting read, just not my usual cup of tea.
July 20, 2023
This summer, I’m working on crafting policy for the State of Colorado to support the industrial hemp supply chain. I also grew up in Boulder County, so Murphy’s story was close to home in several ways. I am more familiar with hemp fiber than CBD production, so it was interesting to learn about the CBD market during its boom and bust. As informative as it was, I was partially reading the book for work and the author sometimes came off as arrogant, so it’s not a 5 star review for me overall. That said, I still thought it was a great overview of the hemp industry and the narrative was compelling.
August 23, 2023
Finn Murphy, author of The Long Haul, tells his story about jumping in to the hemp space after Colorado legalizes marijuana. He has dreams of raking in millions from his crop, just like dozens of other small farmers in Boulder County. The state government is even pushing hard for small farmers to switch to this crop as a way to, finally, become solvent after decades of relying on government assistance in the face of multiple obstacles to profitability for any but the largest monoculture operations. I thoroughly enjoyed Murphy's writing style and learned a lot about Boulder County, despite having been born here and lived here for nearly all of my life.
February 13, 2024
This book was kind of fun! So often you hear success stories coming from people who either figured out an ambiguous space really early, or who just got lucky. It's interesting to hear in such detail a story of someone who never really figured it out. "Boom and Bust" is a bit hyperbolic as Murphy never really even got paid for what he did.
Murphy's a pretty good story teller so I'm excited to read his other book.
Ultimately, there was nothing at stake here. A pretty well off man tried to start a new business in "retirement" and it didn't work out. A cautionary tale for anyone in THC adjacent space.
Murphy's a pretty good story teller so I'm excited to read his other book.
Ultimately, there was nothing at stake here. A pretty well off man tried to start a new business in "retirement" and it didn't work out. A cautionary tale for anyone in THC adjacent space.
February 17, 2025
I read and loved Finn Murphy's memoir about being a long haul trucker and mover, so when I read he had written his account of trying to get into the Colorado THC/CBD growing boom, I was here for it. While this is an overall interesting and engaging story, too often (pardon the pun) Murphy gets in the weeds with the sorts of details that are of little interest to the layman. Those of us who have had to endure pothead small talk as part of the purchase price in the days before dispensaries might feel this to be an apt metaphor. What makes the book a winner is Murphy's storytelling abilities, which are almost always on point and in ample evidence in these pages. Pass it on the left, brother.
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